IronPigs radio man Matt Provence says life in pro baseball is not all that glamorous

In his sixth year as the radio voice of the IronPigs, Matt Provence says the road trips don't get any easier.

IronPigs radio man Matt Provence is used to the unglamorous grind of minor-league… (Kathleen X. Cook, TMC )

May 15, 2013|Keith Groller

Tom Hanks, playing the character of Jimmy Dugan, uttered the famous line, "There's no crying in baseball," in the 1992 comedy "A League Of Their Own."

Similarly, there's no crying when it comes to the world of baseball broadcasting because while millions of little boys grow up dreaming of playing pro ball, thousands more have grown up dreaming of the chance to announce games.

Yet anyone who thinks it's a glamorous life should talk to Matt Provence, the Lehigh Valley IronPigs' radio voice and director of media relations and broadcasting.

Provence is in his sixth season with the IronPigs and has done 17-plus seasons in baseball overall, so he's used to the travel involved with covering minor-league ball. Yet some situations are never easy.

One of those situations came this week when Provence's son, Xander, celebrated his eighth birthday and played in a youth league baseball game. Meanwhile, Provence was hundreds of miles away doing the IronPigs game that night in Norfolk, Va.

"What father wouldn't want to see his son's game on his birthday?" Provence said. "You do miss these things. When you first get started, you didn't worry about that stuff. And even in his first few years, Xander didn't understand the significance of me not being there. But now he's 8 and he said he wished I was there for his birthday.

"On Sunday, they all did Mother's Day at my mother's house with his birthday included in that and all of my relatives and family members are there. So I called and said 'hey everybody' and 'goodbye everybody.' When you're already are on a grueling trip it becomes even more mentally grueling when you're missing out on part of your life or something important."

Make no mistake, however, Provence loves his job. He knows his hectic schedule is not uncommon in this increasingly hustle-bustle world that is a far cry from the easy-going Ozzie and Harriet lifestyle of a previous generation.

"People aren't going to be sympathetic to the cause because there are people who have jobs they don't necessarily like and they, too, are missing out on things," Provence said. "It seems to be the Americana way now and it makes you think there's something wrong with the Americana way. We're still very proud of the country, but jobs, in theory, have broken up families.

"Fathers are away, mothers are away, people aren't home for dinner together. Grandmas and grandpas are plane rides away now, not four blocks away. Some people are doing it for much more noble reasons like serving in the military and protecting our country. It can be difficult to explain to your kid that you're doing it for baseball, but fortunately, he loves sports and understands."

Provence said life in the minors includes a lot of long bus rides — the one to Durham, N.C. to start this current trip took eight hours — and lots of nights in hotels, some good, some not. An eight-game road trip like the one the IronPigs are on actually encompasses 10 days when travel is included.

But just like the players, Provence is hoping for a shot at a higher level that will be more lucrative and more family-friendly. And that's why he grinds through it day after day through five months of the 144-game schedule.

It's also why he also works men's collegiate basketball games in the winter for NJIT.

"The basketball games often require road trips as well that keep you away, but guys in my situation have to do that," Provence said. "We've got to keep versatile, and improve and be flexible because there's only 30 major-league teams and you're still in the minor leagues."

On the road, Provence works alone and he misses his Coca-Cola Park radio partner, Jon Schaeffer.

"I miss Jon because we get along so well off the air as well as we do on the air," Provence said. "It's always nice to have a friend with you and someone who could be helpful on the air. You have to do your own research and have to be careful not to miss a pitch."

Provence's job not only entails radio broadcasts but also preparing the game notes for every game. "Those are my three-hour book reports," he said.

"People don't get that," Provence said. "It's much more than the 31/2 –hour game broadcast. They think you just show up and do the game, but there's so much more to it than that. For me, you do the game notes, prepare the rooming lists, pay the phone bills, prepare the Pork Illustrated covers. There's a lot more than just the game broadcasts."

What lifts Provence is knowing that there are fans out there who appreciate the job he does in keeping IronPigs broadcasts entertaining whether the team is up by five runs or down eight entering the ninth.

"The best thing is when you get an email from somebody who says 'Keep up the great work' or 'I enjoy listening to you guys' that kind of stuff," Provence said. "One email can give you a glow for three days. When you know there's somebody out there who enjoys what you're doing, that can really be propelling."

DID YOU KNOW?

The NBC Sports Group won 11 Sports Emmy Awards last week, the most of any media company, with its Sunday Night Football coverage winning for Outstanding Live Sports Series. In addition,, Al Michaels won for sports event play-by-play and Cris Collinsworth for analysis. Bob Costas also won for his studio work at the London Olympics.

KEITH'S CAN'T MISS … A retrospective called "Go Annika" 'on the Golf Channel debuts at 9 p.m. Wednesday and celebrates the 10-year anniversary of Annika Sorenstam teeing it up against the men on the PGA tour.